Support for shoe-machines.



' C. A. HAMEL & F. E. I/ALOIS.

SUPPORT FOR SHOE MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-10,1915- 1 ,229,6O9I Patented June 12, 1917. i\ W I Y IIIIIEIIIIIIII /9 A? I INvEN'mI s: Maw

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STATES PA urea.

CHARLES A. HAMEL AND FELIX E. VALOIS, OF HAVERHILL, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGN- ORS TO HAMEL SHOE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, A COR- ]?ORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

SUPPORT FOR SHOE-MACHINES.

Application filed August 10, 1915.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, CHARLES A. HAMEL and FELIX E. VALOIS, both citizens of the United States, and both residing at Haverhill, county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Supports for Shoe-Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

Our invention has for its object a new and improved support for shoe machines of various kinds, and particularly for heel breasting machines of the general type shown in the patents to John J. Sullivan No. 1,129,136 and No. 1,129,137 dated February 23, 1915. In machines of this character it is important that the last on which the shoe is placed be firmly supported against the downward pressure produced by the top knife which makes the vertical cut in the heel; that the shoe be quickly and easily positioned and that the last support be automatically adjustable to various heights regardless of the height of heel to be trimmed. It will be understood that the shoe must be properly positioned with relation to the lowest position of the top knife since otherwise the top knife will cut down too far into the heel or even into the shank of the shoe. In the machine shown in the patents to Sullivan heretofore mentioned, the position of the shoe in the machine has been determined by a heel rest which engages the bottom lift of the shoe, therefore it has been necessary to adjust this heel rest for every considerable variation in the height of the heel. We have found that it is possible to position-the heel by means of a member resting against the shank of the shoe closely adjacent the heel in its untrimmed condition. It will therefore be seen that in using our machine the different heights of heels to be trimmed do not require diiferent adjustments of the machine. Provision is also made so that lasts of different height may be employed without requiring any change in adjustment of the machine.

The device embodying our, inventlon is simple and automatic in its operation; and

particularly is capable of use by unskilled workmen.

The invention will be fully understood Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 12, 1917.

Serial No. 44,704.

from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the novel features thereof are pointed out and clearly defined in the claims at the close of this specification.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a shoe support embodying the invention, showing also the top knife and a side knife of a heel breasting machine.

Fig. 2 is a section on line 22 Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view showing in dotted lines the position of the shoe before it is swung under the shank guide.

Fig. A is a section on line 4c1 of Fig. 2.

In the drawings, at A, Fig. 1, is shown the slide, at B, the toe rest; at C, the top knife, and at 1), one of the side knives of a heel breasting machine of the kind shown in the said Sullivan patents. At 11, is shown the last support having at its upper end the ribs 12 between which the last is adapted to be received, and at 18 the flange on which the upper part of the last rests; the last being in inverted position as shown in the drawings. The last support has a substantially circular vertical member which is tubular in form and contains within it a spring 15 resting on a cap or plate 16 on the underside of the slide A. The tubular portion of the last support is notched on two sides as shown at 17 17, in Figs. 1 and 2, the notches on the opposite sides being staggered to obtain a finer adjustment of the last support. This tubular member is guided in ,a sleeve 18 which projects upwardly from the table of the machine. The last support is therefore slidable vertically in the sleeve 18 and is rotatable therein, and thespring 15 tends to maintain it in the highest possible position. At 19, 19 are shown two inclined props, the lower ends of which rest on suitablebeveled members 20, 20, while the faces of the said props which lie in contact with the 'last support'are provided with projections suitable to engage the notches 17, 17 on the sides of the last support. Two springs 21, 21, secured at their lower ends to pins 22 and at their upper ends to the props 19 tend to hold the props in engagement with the sides of the last support.

At 23 is shown a member which for convenience we will call a shank guide. This inay be of any convenient form, its object being to prevent the upward movement of the shoe beyond a predetermined point. In the form shown in the drawings, the shank guide comprises a horizontal finger having an inclined surface a which rests on the incline of the shank of the shoe. The downwardly extending part of the shank guide isprovided with two bosses 24, 25, both of which have holes into which passes a rod 26 secured to the upper end of a bracket 27. This rod 26 is screw threaded as shown, and provided with a thumb nut 28 which is located .in the slot 29 formed between the two bosses 2iand It will be seen that the shank guide may be adjusted vertically by moving the thumb nut 28. The lower boss 25 of the shank guide is provided with a lug 30 to which is secured a downwardly extending pin 31 which passes through a hole in a lug 32 on a member 83 secured to the rod 26 by a set screw 3-1. This construction is such that the shank guide may be adjusted vertically by means of the thumb nut 28 and may be swung slightly on the axis of the rod 26 to move the horizontal portion of the shank'guide nearer to or farther from the breast on the untrimmed heel. The shank guide and support therefor are made of sufficient strength to resist the upward thrust of the spring 15.

The operation of the device embodying the invention is as follows The operator places the last on which is the shoe between the ribs 12 on the top of. the last support. At this time the shoe will be in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. He then bears down on the last, pushing the last support down against the resistance of the spring 15 until the shank of the shoeis lower than theunderside of the shank guide 23. The props 19 permit this to be done because when the shoe is in the position shown in Fig. 3, the teeth or pro- ,jections on the props are in engagement with the smooth portionsof the last support. The operator then turns the shoe around about to the full line position shown in Fig. 3 and releases the shoe, allowing the spring 15 to push the last support up until the shank of the shoe comes in contact with the under surface of the shank guide 28. The rotation of the last support as described brings the notched portions 17, 17 in contact with the teeth on one of the props 19 and the springs 21, 21 pull the props. inwardly so that the teeth drop into the notches 17. Itwill be seen that the shoe cannot be depressed being rigidly supported by one of the props 19 which has ample strength to resistdownward pressure exerted by the top knife C or by a presser foot holding the shoe rigid. It will also be seenthatthe shoe is positioned by the under surface of the shank guide which is in contact with the shank of the shoe. The shank guide having previously been adjusted to the proper position with relation to the bottom end of the stroke of the top knife, and the position of the side knife or knives, the machine may thereafter be used to trim heels regardless of the height of the heels or variation in the last. Should any variation in the position of the shank guide become necessary the adjustment is easily made by means of the thumb screw 28 but under ordinary conditions it is not neces sary to make frequent adjustments of the shank guide. The position of the shank guide is such that it interferes in no way with the operation of the breasting' knives nor does it obstruct the operators view of the portion of the shoe upon which the knives are operating.

lVhile we have shown our invention as adapted for use with a last filling the shoe, it will be understood that it may operate directly on the shoe if desired, it being only necessary to provide a small iron last on the upper end of the last support, said last being small so that it will not fill the shoe.

What we claim is:

1. In a machine of the character described, a rigid shank guide which is adapted to engage the shank of the shoe, arigid shoe support which is oscillatable in a horizontal plane on a fixed vertical axis to turn the shoe in a lateral direction whereby the shoe may be moved under the shank guide and out from under the shank guide as desired and which is movable vertically to bring the shoe against the under side of the shank guide, and means for holding the shoe support rigidly and thereby holding the shoe rigidly against the shank guide to prevent vertical movement or the shoe either up or down while being operated upon.

2. In a machine of the character described, a rigid shank guide which is rigidly, supported and which is adapted to engage the shank of a shoe in fixed relation thereto during the operation of the machine, a rigid shoe support which is movable in a vertical direction to bring the shoe lower than the shank guide and which is oscillatable in a horizontal direction ona fixed vertical axis tobring the shoe beneath the shank guide or out from under the shank guide as desired, means whereby when the shoe is on its'support under the shank guide it is moved up against the said guide, and means whereby the shoe support is rigidly held in its upward position, holdingthe shoe rigidly against the shank guide while the shoe is being operated upon. t

3. In a machine of the character described, a shank guide adapted to engage the shank of a shoe to be operated upon, a last support, a spring to move the last support toward the shank guide, said last support being oscillatable in a plane at right angles to its line of movement toward the shank guide and being notched part way around its periphery and being smooth for a part way around its periphery, and a prop which engages the notches in the last support when the last support is in position for the shank guide to extend over the shank of the shoe and which engages the smooth part of the last support when the last support is turned to bring the shoe out from under the said guide.

4. In a machine of the character described, a shank guide adapted to engage the shank of a shoe to be operated upon, a last support, a spring to move the last support toward the shank guide, said last support being notched on two sides thereof, said notches being arranged in staggered relation to each other, and props which engage respectively the two series of notches in the last support.

5. In a machine of the character described, a shank guide adapted to engage the shank of a shoe to be operated upon, a last support having a tubular stem, a spring inclosed within said tubular stem to move the last support toward the shank guide, said tubular stem havin a vertical series of notches in its outer face, and a prop which engages the said notches to hold the last support rigidly in its elevated position.

6. In a machine of the character described, a shank guide adapted to engage the shank of a shoe to be operated upon, a last support having a tubular stem, a spring inclosed within said tubular stem to move the last support having a tubular stem, a spring.

inclosed within said tubular stem to move the last support toward the shank guide, said tubular stem having two series of vertical notches on different sides thereof, and

props which respectively engage said two series of notches to rigidly hold said last support in its elevated position.

8. In a machine of the character described, a shank guide adapted to engage the shank of a shoe to be operated upon, a last support, said last support being vertically movable and being oscillatable in a plane at right angles to its vertical line of movement and having notches part way around its periphery and being smooth for a part way around its periphery, and a prop which engages the smooth part of the periphery when the last support is turned to bring the shoe out from under the said guide and which engages the said notches when the last support is in position for the shank guide to extend over the shank of the shoe.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures, in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES A. HAMEL. FELIX E. VALOIS.

Witnesses;

NED A. PIKE, CLARENCE R. CAMMETT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, 1). G. 

